Far Better, No Regrets

(By Bayless Conley, taken from "Far Better!" and "No Regrets" devotionals)

In Philippians 1:21-23, the apostle Paul says this,

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."

Wow! Did you see what Paul said? To live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I die, I am going to be with Christ. And that is not a little better. It is far better.

While the following is a somewhat silly example, I think it makes the point.

My wife and I recently visited some friends in Washington, and it rained virtually the whole time we were there. It was just a series of gray, drizzly, dreary, rainy days. My friend is an avid golfer, so I asked him, "How long has it been since you have been able to go golfing?" He said, "Four months." I thought, "Wow! That's a long time!"

Now, the day Janet and I got back to Southern California it was a stunning Southern California day, about 70 degrees out. My son said, "Dad, you want to go golfing?" I said, "Sure. Throw the gear in the car."

As we were driving to the golf course, it hit me...Southern California is a place that is far better for a golfer than Washington! It is gain to be absent from the gray and rain, and present in the sun!

To be absent from the body is gain, because it means to be present with the Lord in the brightness of His glory! Don't feel sorry for believers when they go to be with the Lord. For them it is gain that is far better!

Are you unable to abide thoughts of death?

If you answered "yes" to that question, chances are you are not ready to meet our Lord. But you need to be ready because everyone here is going to die. There are only two exceptions in all of history: Enoch and Elijah, and it is not likely you are going to be the third exception.

Death visits both kings and commoners. Its approach is sure. The Bible says in Psalm 89:48,

"What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?
Selah."

That Hebrew word selah means to pause and calmly think about that, and that is the problem with some. They never think on it. They push every thought of their own mortality from their mind. But how can you prepare for eternity if you never think about it?

When the time comes and we have finished our course for God, let us face death like men. Let us look it in the eye. Let us not rebel against the cutting of the cords that loose us from the mooring of these earthly shores; but, rather, unfurl the sails and take that blessed journey to a better country!

To live is Christ; and to die is gain. To depart and be with Christ is far better.

Until then, squeeze every drop of life you can out of every single day. Live with all of your heart and all of your strength for God, and leave no regrets behind. Because life is a short day even at its longest. And when its sun has gone down, it leaves us in eternity. 

Today's Thought
"Death is really another birth. Imagine telling a baby in the womb, attached to the umbilical cord, 'Hey, guess what? You are about to enter into a bright new world with sound and light and air and brilliant colors. You will be able to see and smell and taste for the first time. There are mountains and sunflowers and sandy beaches and...a lot of beautiful things out here. You're gonna have to let go of that umbilical cord. In fact, we're gonna snip it. Don't worry. You'll be fine after a few moments of crying.' I think our death is something like that. It is actually a birth into a brighter, more aromatic, more delicious, more beautiful world than the one we now know." - James Bryan Smith